Cultivator



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet -1l M. PLATZ.

GULTIVATOR.-

Nolv 361,715. Patented Apr. 26, 1887.

D v @Il 0 S14/newton l s uwm Ny PETERS. Plmxo-.Liihugmplwn wnsninnnnnnnnn c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

M. PLATZ. GULTIVATOR.

No. 361,715. Pate'ntedApr. 26, 1887...

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE9 MENELIOUS PLATZ, OF ALMA, KANSAS.

CULTIVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,715, datedhAprii26, 1887.

(No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that l, MENELIoUsPLATZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Alma, in the county of Wabaunsee and State of Kansas, haveinvented a new and useful Improve ment in Corn-Cultivators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in corn-cultivators, being adaptedparticularly for the cultivation of listed corn; and its main objectsare to provide an implement that will work satisfactorily in foul soil,or in soil where cornstalks have been cut and plowed under the surface.

'The invention consists in the construction and novel arrangement ofparts, hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings,and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view ofthe machine; Fig. 2, a central longitudinal vertical section thereof.Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine, and Fig. 4'detail perspectiveviews to clearly show the shape of the knives of two different shapes.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the frame of themachine, composed of the transverse front and rear beams, a a, and thetwo longitudinal beams a a', having their sides secured to the front andrear beams at equal distances from the center thereof.

B B are draft-chains, with their inner ends attached to plates securedto the ends of the front beam of the main frame and with their frontends connected to a ring attached tothe central loop of a single-tree,b.

C C are the runners, provided with similar opposite notches near theirfront and rear ends, respectively, for the insertion of thelower sidesof the front and rear beams of the main frame. The notches are deeper attheir rear sides than at their front sides, so that the front and rearbeams of the main frame are inclined edgewise, and are stier under draftthan if set as usual. The runners are rounded up at their front end, cc, asshown, are preferably ironshod, and are rendered both verticallyand laterally adjustable with reference to the main frame by means ofplates D D, which are bent to t in between the meeting-points of therunners and the front and rear beams of the main frame,

and provided in their horizontal leaves with the slots d d and in theirvertical leaves with the slots d d. By means of the slots d d and properset-screws passing therethrough and engaging the beams of the mainframe, the runners can be adjusted laterally thereon, and by means ofthe slots d d and set-screw passing therethrough and engaging in therunners the latter can be adjusted vertically upon the main frame. Therunners are adjusted laterally by the means described to fit any widthof furrow.

E E are knives attached to the outer sides of the outer surfaces of therunners at similar parts thereon. Near their front ends the same knivesincline rearward and near their points turn upward, and are alsoinclined downward from back to edge.` The bent-up inner end is pivotedat e upon the runners, and provided with slots e', made on the arcs ofcircles of which the pivots c are centers, by means of which slots andproper set-screws passing therethrough the knives can vhave theirinclination from back to edge adjusted to different angles, asconvenient or necessary.

F F are knives, an equal number of which are secured upon the oppositearms of a transverse bar, f, which has partial rotation in bearingsf onthe upper edge of the longitudi- "nal beams a of the main frame, betweenthe front and rear beams thereof. The bar f is preferably rectangular incross-section, and is cut away or rounded at proper points to formjournals for the bearings f. The backs of the knives F curve rearward,downward, and inward, and their edges run rectangularly rearward anddownward.

G G are hooks secured to the upper surface of the bar f, equally distantfrom its center, Within the beams c'. The said hooks engage the loopedends of the rods H H, which run through openings in the upturned innerends of the spring-plates hh, the outer ends of which are iirmly securedto the rear beam of the main frame.

h h are coiled springs surrounding the rods H between theiroutwardly-bent rear ends (or collars on said ends) and theirupwardly-bent front ends, against which the springs bear, thus tendingto rotate the bar f and affixed knives downward.

The bar and knives are rotated upward IOO - against the action of thesprings by the following means:

I is a frame composed of the two inclined meeting legst' i',respectively secured to and extending from the front and rear beams ofthe main frame, and the angular brace-plate @secured to the rear leg, i.

J is an angular lever pivoted at its angle within alongitudinal slot, j,in the front leg, z', and having connected to the end of its.forwardly-extending leg j a link-rod, j?, the lower end of which isconnected to the end of the forwardly-extending arm f3, securedcentrally to the barf. By moving the handle of the lever upward orrearward the knives F and barf are rot-ated downward. To retain theknives as set, the curved rack K is secured to the leg z' adjacent tothe lever J, the teeth of which rack are engaged by a pawl, lc, slidingin a director, and having its upper end connected by a link, lo', withthe lower arm of the hand-lever k2, pivoted on the lever J.

rIlhe runners act as fenders to the young corn between them and preventthe soil loosened and cut up by the knives from covering the same, and,as described, are adjustable to furrows of different widths, so that thedriver can force the knivesE into the ridges between the rows to anydesired depth. The said knives, on account' of their inclination fromback to edge, are forced down in the ridges by the forward movement ofthe machine, and when clear of the ridges quickly free themselves fromrubbish.

The knives F, being under control of the driver, can be raised by thedescribed means to clear them of rubbish, or when the machine is beingturned or transported.

The spiral springs will permit the knives to ride over any obstructionwithout being injured, after which they will return to their originalposition. If desired, each knife may be connected with a 'separatespring; but the described construction is preferred.

The machine may be attached to any cultivator or listing machine, andthe inclination of the knives E from back to edge forces them into theridges and prevents the machine from riding over the surface.

The ends of the front and rear beams of the main frame will act asCrushers, pulverizing all lumps in the ridges over which they pass. Theinclination of the under surfaces of said beams will aid this action, asthe beams will ride upon the said lumps.

On account of the described formation, the knives F throw the earthinward from knife to knife and toward the runners, so as to pulverizeand spread it between the ridges.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with themain frame and the knives,constructed and arranged substantially asdescribed, of the runners rounded on their front ends, vertically andlaterally adjustable with reference to the main frame, and acting 'asfenders to the young corn to prevent the same being covered by thebroken and loosened soil, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the main frame provided with front and rearbeams having their front sides tilted up, substantially as described, ofthe runners laterally adjustable on the main frame, and the knivespivoted to the outside of the runners, inclined rearward therefrom,having their outer ends turned upward and inclined downward from back toedge, and having said transverse inclination adjustable on the runnersby means of slots and set-screws, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the main frame, the adjustable runners, and theadjustable knives secured to the runners, of theoscillating barjournaled upon the main frame, the knives secured thereto, having theiredges inclined rearward and downward and their backs curved rearward,backward, and inward to throw the pulverized earth inward, andmechanism, substantially as described, whereby the driver is enabled tooscillate said bar and raise and lower said knives, substantially asspecified.

4. The combination, with the main frame, oscillating bar journaledthereon, and knives secured to said bar, of the hooks secured to theupper surface of said bar, the rods with the looped ends engaging saidhooks, the springplates holding said rods, the coiled springssurrounding the rods and acting against the upturned ends of thespring-plates, and mechanism, substantially as described, whereby theknives can be moved and held upward against the action ot' said coiledsprings, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

MENELIOUS PLATZ. I

IOO

